Run-stop band for hosiery



Sept. 6, 1966 v CK ET AL RUN-STOP BAND FOR HOSIERY Filed June 3, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 a. 8 6 I ABCDEFGHI r m m RUN-STOP BAND FOR HOSIERY Filed June 5, 1963 T or cvuNvER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS.

Gila

Sept. 6, 1966 v. T. STACK ET AL 3,270,526

RUN-STOP BAND FOR HOSIERY Filed June 5, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 6, 1966 v. "r. STACK ET AL RUNSTOP BAND FOR HOSIERY 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 5, 1963 INVENTORS. P2171017 21575115 & BY flair/426i 192271115, @1 s @J A r men/5y;

Sept. 6, 1966 v T C ET AL 3,270,526

7 RUN-STOP BAND FOR HOSIERY Filed June 3, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORAS'.

United States Patent 3,270,526 RUN-STOP BAND FOR HQSIERY Vernon T. Sitack and Thomas B. Rear/is, Winston-Salem, N.C., assignors to Hanes Corporation, a corporation of North Carolina Filed June 3, 1963. Ser. No. 284,967 1 Claim. (Cl. 66-172) This invention relates generally to hosiery and particularly to circular knit sheer womens hosiery and to improvements with respect to the ability of such hosiery to resist runs.

In the production of circular knit hosiery, conventionally referred to as seamless hosiery, knitting proceeds by circular or round and round operation of the machine from the upper or welt portion until the heel area is reached, whereupon approximately one-half of the needles are taken out of operation and knitting proceeds on the remaining needles, with conventional narrowing and widening operations, to form a heel pocket. Following the formation of the heel pocket, circular knitting on all the needles is again resumed until the toe area is reached. At this point knitting is again suspended on approximately one-half of the needles, the remaining needles knitting in a reciprocatory manner, with narrowing and widening, to produce the toe pocket.

Such stockings, made conventionally from fine nylon yarns, usually single filament yarns of denier or less, are subject to snags or ruptures which, due to the characteristics of the conventional stitch structure, quickly result in runs extending longitudinally of the stockings.

Obviously, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide the stocking fabric with a run-stop band through which runs will not pass. Since a large percentage of these runs originate in the heel portion of the stocking, a desirable location for a run-stop band is immediately above the heel, i.e., extending around the back of the stocking and bordering the heel. Such runstop bands may be readily provided if the leg and foot of the stocking are knit using a plurality of body yarns.

However, when it is desired to knit the leg and foot using a single body yarn per feed on single or multifeed machines, complications arise because it becomes necessary to introduce an auxiliary yarn along with the body yarn in the run-stop hand area, and to trim the auxiliary yarn close to the fabric at both ends of that area to avoid producing objectionally along ends of yarn.

Accordingly, an important object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for knitting a run-stop band bordering the heel reinforcement of a womans seamless stocking wherein auxiliary yarn is introduced and knit with the body yarn throughout the runstop band without leaving objectionally long ends of the auxiliary yarn at either end of said band.

Another object is to provide such method and apparatus wherein the opposite ends of the auxiliary yarn in the run-stop band are anchored firmly in the fabric.

Another object is to provide such method and apparatus wherein the auxiliary yarn is a curl-type, non-torque stretch yarn, and the opposite end portions of the auxiliary yarn are contracted toward the fabric to help prevent the same from pulling out of the fabric.

Another object is to provide sheer womens hosiery with a run-stop band produced by such method and apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary view diagrammatically illustrating the loop formation of the run-stop band of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of mechanism for controlling the auxiliary yarn feed finger; and

FIGURES 3 to 8 are schematic, fragmentary perspective views of mechanism for clamping and severing the auxiliary yarn, the auxiliary yarn feed finger and the needles, showing various stages of operation.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 1, which is a view looking at the outside of the stocking fabric and at the back of the stocking, immediately above the heel reinforcement, the ankle, a portion of which is designated 10, is knit round and round with body yarn 12. while the heel reinforcement, a portion of which is designated 14, is knit by reciprocation with the yarn 16. The run-stop band, generally designated 18, extending around the back of the stocking, immediately above the heel reinforcement, is knit with the body yarn 12 and auxiliary yarn 20 and divides the fabric extending along the back of the stocking into two spaced sections, respectively designated 22 and 24.

While the boot or leg of the stocking has a plain knit construction, it will be understood that it may incorporate a pattern of plain and tuck stitches, as desired. It will also be understood that the heel area may be knitted by reciprocation or round and round operation.

The run-stop band 18, in the preferred embodiment thereof, comprises sixteen partial courses including a group 26 of four courses A, B, C and D, a group 28 of four courses E, F, G and H, a group 30 of four courses I, J, K and L, and a group 32 of four courses M, N, O and P. The run-stop band 18 incorporates alternating wales 34 and 36, and terminates at each end thereof with wales 42 and 46. In group 26 of the run-stop band 18, wales 34 comprise plain stitches 38 knit of body yarn 12 and auxiliary yarn 20. In wales 36, however, plain stitches 40 knit of body yarn 12 and auxiliary yarn 20 have been tucked for a total of three courses, and are anchored by the loops of course E of group 28. In courses B, C and D of group 26, body yarn 12 is formed into tuck loops doubled with elongated doubled stitches 4t} and auxiliary yarn 20 is floated behind the elongated loops.

In the group 28 courses, plain stitches 38 and elongated stitches 40 are staggered by one Wale with respect to the plain stitches 38 and the elongated stitches 40 of group 26. In group 26, wales 42 consist of plain stitches 44 knit of body yarn 12, with the auxiliary yarn 20 floated therebehind, while in group 28, wales 42 consist of plain stitches 48 knit of both the body yarn 12 and auxiliary yarn 20.

The groups of courses 30 and 32 are repeats, respectively, of groups 26 and 28. Throughout the run-stop band 18, wales 46 consist of plain stitches 48 knit of body yarn 12 and auxiliary yarn 20.

The arrangement of the stitches, tuck loops and floats in the run-stop band 18 is effective to resist the extension of runs, originating below the run-stop band 18, into the leg of the stocking.

It will be noted that the terminal stitches of each course of the run-stop band are plain stitches 48 knit with both the body yarn and the auxiliary yarn to help tighten the stitches and firmly anchor the end of the auxiliary yarn in the fabric. It will also be noted that all of the terminal stitches at either end of the runstop band are in the same wale 46 to help further in anchoring the ends of the auxiliary yarn in the fabric.

Although one repeat of group 26 and one repeat of group 28 are shown, it will be obvious that there could be more. It should also be noted that each group of courses, such as group 26, are not necessarily restricted to four courses as there could be more or less than four, although four courses in each group has been found to be a satisfactory number to stop a run. And while it has been pointed out that the run-stop band 18 is located immediately above the heel reinforcement of the stocking, it will be understood that it may be located immediately below the heel, as well as at other locations.

It will be understood that this invention is applicable to circular knit stockings regardless of the type of yarns or denier used in the stocking proper. They can be knit of multifilament as well as monofilainent yarns and of natural as well as synthetic yarns. But, preferably, the auxiliary yarn for the run-top band is a curl-type, nontorque stretch yarn, i.e., an edge elasticized yarn, such as Agilon. There is a distinct advantage is using this type of yarn. The elastic nature of the yarn is only partially apparent initially, and a heat treatment is necessary to develop its full elastic nature. Therefore, after the stocking is knit, subsequent finishing operations cause the severed ends of the yarn, indicated by dotted lines, to curl and to contract toward the fabric, as at 49, to a degree greater than with conventional yarns. This is an effective percaution against the ends of the auxiliary yarn pulling through the fabric or remaining extended to become unsightly.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, the auxiliary yarn finger control mechanism of the invention coinprises a sleeve 5h embracing the hub of the conventional jack transfer dial driving gear 51 such as that on a Scott & Williams hosiery machine, which gear makes one revolution per revolution of the needle cylinder. The sleeve mounts a cam 52, and engaging the cam is the inner terminal portion of a thrust bar 54, the outer end portion of which is pivoted, as at 55, to an upright arm 58 of a bell crank 66 The bell crank is provided with a hub 62 which pivots about a shaft 64. The other arm of the bell crank, designated 66, is provided with a lateral extension 68 mounting a screw 70 secured thereto by nuts 72. Underlying the screw 70 is the outer end portion 74 of an auxiliary yarn finger 76 pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 73, and equipped with a tension spring 12-1. The inner end of the auxiliary yarn finger, designated 80, overlies an upright thrust bar 82, the lower end portion of which rests upon the main control drum 84 of the machine, which drum makes one revolution per cycle of the machine. The lower end portion of the thrust bar 82 is aligned with a cam 86 carried by the drum 84.

The inner end portion of the thrust bar 54 extends freely through an opening 90 formed in a lateral extension 92 of a bell crank arm 94. The bell crank, designated $6, is pivoted upon a shaft 98, and the other arm thereof, designated 1%, overlies an upright thrust bar :1112, being biased thereagainst by a spring 1154. The lower end portion of the bar 102 is engageable with a cam 1116 mounted upon the control drum 84.

During knitting of all parts of the stocking except the run-stop band area adjacent the heel reinforcement, auxiliary yarn finger 76 is held in its inactive position 76c by thrust bar 82, the lower end portion of which rests on cam 86. In addition, the lower end portion of the thrust bar 102 rests on the surface of control drum 84 and the thrust bar 54 is raised by the spring 104- so that its inner terminal portion is positioned above the path of the cam 52. Immediately prior to knitting the run-stop, control drum 84 is rotated by conventional means in a counterclockwise direction, allowing thrust bar 82 to drop from cam 86 to the surface of control drum 84. Spring 121 now rocks the finger 76 counterclockwise, as seen in FIGURE 2, lowering the inner end thereof to its 76b positon. On the same move of control drum 84, cam 1116 engages thrust bar 102, which causes bell crank 96 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, thereby lowering the inner end of bar 54- into the path of cam 52 and into the gap between the opposite ends thereof, against the influence of spring 1041. When the cam 52 engages the inner end of the bar 54, it moves the bar 54 outwardly and rocks the bell crank 60 clockwise, whereupon the screw 70 depresses the underlying portion of the finger 76, which causes the inner end of the finger 76 .to rise to its 76a position.

T f ll line p ti n 7611 (FIGURE 2) of the auxiliary yarn finger 76 is the position to which the finger is raised at the end of each course of run-stop band The finger is raised to its 76a position so that the auxiliary yarn will pass over the yarn restraining element 114 (FIG- URE 3) as it moves toward a cutter 112, and so that the auxiliary yarn wiil be trimmed close to the fabric, as will appear hereinafter. The finger 76 remains in its intermediate or cutoff position 76a until the yarn is cut. Thereafter, it is relowered to its yarn feeding position 7611. Thus, during knitting of that portion of the stocking which includes the run-stop band area, the finger os cillates between its feed position 76b and its cutoff position 76c. While body yarn 12 is being fed continuously to all needles of the machine by a separate yarn finger 77 (FIGURE 4), auxiliary yarn 20 is fed intermittently by yarn finger 76 to selected needles, which form wales 34, 36, 42 and 46 of the run-stop band 18. It will be noted that the auxiliary yarn 20 is feed in the manner aforesaid at an abnormally high level, in comparison with the level at which the body yarn 12 is fed.

After completion of the run-stop hand area, in the manner hereinafter described, control drum 84 is once again rotated counterclockwise, causing thrust bar 1112 to drop from cam 106 back to the surface of control drum 84, and thrust bar 32 to be engaged and raised again by cam 86. Thus the inner terminal portion of the thrust rod 54 is returned by the spring 104 to its initial elevation above the path of the cam 52 and the finger 76 is returned to its inactive position 760.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 3 to 8, mechanism for clamping and severing the auxiliary yarn includes an annulus 108 provided with peripheral teeth 110 and underlying the dial cap (not shown). Overlying a peripheral area of the annulus is the cutter 112. Above the annulus, mounted on the dial cap is the restraining element 114, and disposed above this element is a suction tube 116 and a clamp 118. The yarn clamping and severing n1echanism is essentially the same as that disclosed in the patent to V. T. Stack et al., No. 2,824,436, to which ref erence may be had for a more detailed description.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the run-stop band 13 is immediately above the heel and is knit round and round with the body yarn 12 and auxiliary yarn 20. Referring to FIGURE 8, each time the needles that knit the run-stop band 18 approach the finger '76, the auxiliary yarn 20 extends down through the auxiliary yarn finger 7 6, which is at its cutoff height 76a, above the annulus 108, over the restraining element 114 and up into the suction tube 116, as shown by a dash-dot line. As the needles that knit the run-stop band 18 advance, finger 76 is lowered from cutoff height 76a to feeding height 76b (see FIGURE 4) for supplying yarn to the first selected needle, designated a. In the meantime, selected needles approach the yarn fingers 76 and 77 at clear height for taking the auxiliary yarn and body yarn, while all other needles travel at tuck level for taking only the body yarn 12. The finger 76 feeds the auxiliary yarn above the nonselected needles to the selected needles advancing at clear height. Thus auxiliary yarn floats are created in the fabric wherever the needles form the body yarn 12 into tuck loops. After the first needle selected, designated 1241a, has taken the yarn, FIGURE 4, it moves downwardly, FIGURE 5, and the yarn extending therefrom to the suction tube 116 is laid across the edge of the annulus 108 and caught between two of its teeth 1111, close to the needle 120a, the portion of the yarn extending from needle 12641 to the teeth 110 being sharply inclined. As needle 12% advances, the yarn wraps itself about the restraining element 114, as shown in FIGURE 6, and when the needle 1243a reaches the cutter 112, the sharply inclined portion of the yarn is severed and the cutoff end is sucked up into the tube 116 when clamp 118 is raised.

As the last needle to knit the run-stop band, designated 120b, FIGURE 7, approaches the knitting station, the cam 52, FIGURE 2, engages the thrust bar 54 and shifts it outwardly, whereupon the bell crank 60 rocks clockwise. The screw 70, working in opposition to spring 121, depresses the end 74 of the yarn finger '76 and raises the end 80 of the yarn finger to yarn cutofi. height 76a. The end of thrust bar 54 is held at the elevation of cam 52 by cam 106 and thrust bar 102 acting upon the bell crank 96 against the action of spring 104.

As indicated hereinbefore, before going into the runstop hand area and upon leaving it, the lower end of thrust bar 102 rides on the surface of drum 84 and is therefore in lowered position. At such times the bell crank 96 is rocked clockwise under the influence of spring 104, and the end of the thrust bar 54 is raised above the path of cam 52 so that the cam may rotate without affecting the finger 76. It will be noted that the action of thrust bar 102 and bell crank 96 dominates the action of thrust bar 54 and bell crank 60.

After the yarn finger is raised to cutolf position 76a, FIGURE 7, the needle 12% is lowered to knit. Yarn from the finger to needle 12012 is sharply inclined and laid across the edge of the annulus 108 and caught between two of its teeth 110 close to needle 12017. The portion of the yarn extending from needle 12% to the two teeth 110 is held in its sharply inclined position until needle 12% reaches cutter 112, as shown by a full line in FIGURE 8, whereupon the clamp 118 is lowered to hold the yarn and the yarn cut. The cut end of the yarn is then sucked up into the tube 116, as shown by a dash-dot line in FIG- URE 8. The yarn is held in clamped position until the yarn finger is relowered.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 3, two main advantages are made possible by this invention which allow the formation of a satisfactory run-stop in less than 360 around the circumference of the stocking:

(1) By raising auxiliary yarn finger 76 from its position 76b to a higher cutoff height 76a, auxiliary yarn 20 will be positioned on top of restraining element 114 as yarn 20 is moved toward cutter 112 by needle 1201) and teeth 110 of annulus 108. This is essential for proper trimming and clamping of auxiliary yarn 20 upon its withdrawal. Were it not for raising auxiliary yarn finger 76 to this cutting height 76a, yarn 20 would be positioned under restraining element 114, as shown by dash-dot lines, and would remain unclamped.

(2) During knitting of the plain portions of the courses forming the run-stop area, i.e., the plain knit portions which extend from the run-stop around to and across the front of the stocking, the cleared needles are lowered to tuck height before taking body yarn 12. Thus, should auxiliary yarn finger 76 remain in its position 76b, auxiliary yarn 20 would not be taken by the needles, but would be caught between a pair of teeth 110 more remote from needle 12012 and would be cut at 0 instead of at b (FIGURE 3). Thus an unduly long length a-c of the yarn would extend out of the fabric, instead of a short length a-b.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention, as described and shown, is susceptible to various changes and modifications which may be made without any departure from the general principles or real spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to claim the present invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a circular knit stocking having body yarn in connected courses forming continuous wales subject to the formation of runs, a run-stop band extending across the back of said stocking and bordering the heel thereof, said band having in each course thereof, within said band, an auxiliary yarn knit with said body yarn, said auxiliary yarn being a curl-type stretch yarn, selected wales of said band being composed of a plurality of successive plain stitches and of at least one tuck stitch, said tuck stitches in some wales being staggered with respect to the tuck stitches in other wales, the auxiliary yarn in each course of said band being knit with said body yarn in terminal plain stitches at each end of said band, the terminal plain stitches at each end of said band being disposed in the same wale, and the auxiliary yarn being trimmed close to said terminal stitches so that the trimmed ends of said auxiliary yarn curl and thereby contract toward the fabric to secure the auxiliary yarn within the run-stop band.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 445,352 1/1891 Merrow et al. 66182 1,587,428 1/1926 Scott 66182 2,092,315 9/1937 Katzenmoyer 66182 2,100,861 1l/1937 Lochhead 66169 2,370,450 2/1945 Clarke 66-185 2,628,487 2/1953 Thompson 66182 2,640,339 6/1953 Dowell 66182 2,869,343 l/1959 Toone 66l34 2,887,860 5/1959 Bellman 66172 2,919,534 1/1960 Bolinger et a1 281 2,930,214 3/1960 Thore 66l34 2,987,900 6/1961 Mahler 66185 3,027,737 4/1962 Matthews et a1 66172 3,052,110 9/1962 Heggie 66172 3,071,950 1/1963 Chaney 66169 3,173,278 3/1965 Kaylor 66187 3,181,314 5/1965 Millar 6642 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,066,643 1/1954 France.

730,830 6/1955 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Technical Information on Processing Chemstrand Nylon, Textured Yarns, by Chemstrand Co., March 1963, N4.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, DONALD W. PARKER,

Examiners. R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

